VIDEO | Man tries to break idol in Hyderabad temple:Strikes Santoshi Mata idol with stick, attacks priest; apprehended by locals

A man attacked a priest at a temple near Hyderabad’s Dilsukhnagar bus depot on Friday. He also struck the idol of the goddess with a stick. The incident took place at the Santoshi Mata Temple. However, people present at the temple immediately caught the accused. People beat the accused before handing him over to the police. The police have begun investigating the case. The police are also having the accused’s mental condition examined. The reason why the accused carried out the attack is not yet clear. Picture after the incident… Demolition of idols is a crime under the BNS In India, the Indian Penal Code, 2023 (BNS), Chapter XVI, which provides for punishment for crimes related to religion. According to Section 298, whoever destroys, damages, or defiles any place of religious worship (such as a temple) or damages any religious object (such as an idol/statue), with the intention of insulting any religion, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. BJP leaders question security at temples Telangana’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders reacted sharply to the incident. They questioned the state government’s handling of temple security. Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao also criticised the government. He alleged that the government’s attitude towards religious issues had created an environment in which such incidents could take place. Ramchander Rao said that ensuring the security of religious institutions was the responsibility of the state government. He called for accountability to be fixed. Raja Singh calls for an impartial investigation Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh called for an impartial investigation. He said that if the accused was found guilty, strict legal action should be taken against him. He also questioned Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over the security being provided to Hindu temples and devotees in the state. ​